Malaria claimed 92, attacked 65,000 in 3 hill dists last year

Malaria took lives of at least 92 last year and attacked over 65,000 in the three districts of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).
This was disclosed at a roundtable here jointly organised by Civil Surgeon's office and non-governmental organisation Brac at the conference hall of Khagrachhari Hill District Council (KHDC).
Speakers quoting official records said 53 were killed and 19, 493 attacked in Khagrachhari while 28 killed and 28,371 attacked in Rangamati and 11 killed and 17,783 attacked in Bandarban last year.
The actual figures of deaths or attacks might be 3 to 4 times higher they were counted as per available database, the speakers said. The death figure was 187 and number of attack was over 52 thousand in 2007. They expressed their grave concern at the 'epidemic' situation in three hill districts.
According to the roundtable, Global Fund for Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), an international organisation, jointly with the Health Department of the government, have launched an awareness campaign from early month of 2007 and still continuing the programme through various activities to control malaria in the CHT, they said.
The organisations are doing it in collaboration with government and 14 NGOs led by Brac through distribution of Long Lasting Mosquitoe Net (LLMN), blood test, supplying medicine and arranging awareness build up programme, the roundtable was told.
Among others, Deputy Commissioner AKM Khairul Alam, KHDC member Sanu Mong Marma, Assistant Superintendent of Police Tanvir Arafat, Khagrachhari Press Club President Zizen Barua and Brac District Manager Rupok Chakma spoke.

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